WASHINGTON - December 17 - The public interest group Free Press commends Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) for his efforts to marshal public resources for improvements to broadband that will benefit consumers.

Today, Rep. Boucher sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission exhorting the FCC and the National Telecommunications Information Agency to leverage policies and public investments to produce a world-class broadband network. Rep. Boucher called for a benchmark for next-generation networks, a key deliverable that was absent from the FCC's broadband outline that was unveiled yesterday.

Ben Scott, policy director at Free Press, issued the following statement:

"We strongly support Chairman Boucher's call for next-generation broadband networks. The FCC's task is to construct a blueprint for 21st-century infrastructure policy. We should set goals that will establish the United States in the top ranks of the world's leading broadband nations and bring those world-class networks to all Americans. We should aim to achieve those goals through competition policy at the FCC and targeted public investment from the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture. We commend Chairman Boucher's efforts to bring high-speed communications to all Americans."